British ingenuity meets German technical performance for a collection of design-driven travel bags, garments and footwear

Both powerhouses in their own right, English designer Tom Dixon and German sporting brand Adidas do many things well in significantly separate spaces, rarely crossing over. However, to explore each other's abilities the two have paired up on a capsule collection, launched just yesterday, 8 April, at MOST as part of Milan's Salone Del Mobile. Marking the first of the collaboration's four capsule collections to be introduced over the next two years, the range of designs spans clothing, footwear and luggage.

While each piece is undoubtably inspired by Dixon's monochromatic tendencies and Adidas' athleticism, they are free from prominent markings to leave their origin slightly ambiguous—a conscious decision we prefer over many over-branded collaborations. This minimalism is best seen in the footwear, which does without Adidas' signature tri-stripe and instead opts for a clean suede silhouette punctuated only by a rubberized cap toe. The shoe is available in a low-top, chukka and boot, and is constructed entirely of three pieces with a bit of stitching and a single strip of vulcanizing tape holding it all together.

The collection extends way beyond a pair of minimalist boots, however—a series of somewhat transformable pieces will likely bring the brands the most hype. A down overcoat that becomes a sleeping bag shows a bit of Dixon's cheekiness, while two travel bags were designed specifically to accommodate all that one would need for a week-long stay in Milan, complete with detachable, specialized compartments. The guts of the collection include a range of canvas garments with attractive rough edges and fused seams that showcases the collaboration's end goal of blending Adidas' technical and performance-based materials with Dixon's refined design.

The Tom Dixon + Adidas capsule collection is set to be announced in its entirety in November 2013, available for purchase in early January 2014. Keep an eye on Tom Dixon for more information on the exciting collection.